Diaz-Balart Shocked at Wasteful Federal Building Projects, Including $288 Million to Renovate Half-Empty Courthouse with 1,500 sq. ft. per Employee

Washington, DC – Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) highlighted the waste of taxpayer dollars represented by the Administration’s proposal for funding federal construction and leasing projects for 2011. One proposed project would renovate an over-built and over-budget courthouse that currently allows 1,500 square feet of building space for each employee – more space than many families occupy.

The following is Diaz-Balart’s statement from the Subcommittee hearing on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) fiscal year 2011 Capital Improvement and Leasing Program, which includes seven alteration and modernization projects, three design projects, five construction and acquisitions projects, and five leases:

“I have to say I am shocked by the tremendous waste of taxpayer dollars and the gross mismanagement of the Federal Buildings Fund that this list of projects represents.

“This subcommittee has had hearing after hearing about how courthouse overbuilding and costly leasing are bankrupting the Federal Buildings Fund. Yet the Administration proposes a quarter of a billion dollars to renovate a half empty courthouse and half a billion dollars to lease an agency headquarters.

“GSA proposes spending $288 million to renovate the 600,000 square foot Prettyman Courthouse. In a recent hearing GAO singled out this courthouse complex as one of the most over-built and over-budget in the country. About 400 people work in the Prettyman building, which means there are 1,500 gross square feet of building space for each employee.

“How can the Administration justify spending so much money on a half empty building that won’t generate any extra revenue to the Federal Buildings Fund?

“While GSA wants to pour even more money into an overbuilt courthouse, GSA is proposing a new 427,000 square foot lease for the Federal Trade Commission headquarters.

“In hearing after hearing, members of this Committee have repeatedly expressed concern about the overuse of expensive leases to meet federal space needs, especially for headquarters space. And, in study after study, the GAO has warned us about the cost of leasing to meet long-term space needs.

“Yet GSA proposes doubling FTC’s leased space. And, instead of consolidating the FTC headquarters into one government-owned location, FTC would operate in at least two separate locations. In addition, this proposal would move some operations out of government-owned space into leased space.

“So on the one hand, GSA is proposing costly leases for the FTC headquarters and on the other hand wants to spend nearly $300 million to renovate a building that is barely used.

“We have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. I am very concerned about how GSA is prioritizing its projects and whe